Pyrotechnic/mechanical release device



May 6, 1969 B, E, M|| ER ET AL 3,442,474

PYRoTECHNIC/MECHANICAL RELEASE DEVICE Filed Sept. l, 1967 fuje/ lll Compresslan iff/'ry Z Parse/wh wmf 72 6MM- ATTORNEYS.

United States atent O 3,442,474 PYROTECHNIC/MECHANICAL RELEASE DEVICE Barry E. Miller, Baltimore, and .I ohn E. Foster, Timonium,

Md., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Sept. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 665,694 Int. Cl. B64d 25/10 U.S. Cl. 244-147 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The safety pin and handle 3 of fuze 1 are pulled to ignite Erst-fire mix 11 after a slight delay. This ignites heat-destructible shear pin 7 and pyrotechnic assembly 9. When the shear pin is consumed, pre-loaded spring 8 releases the parachute 12 from pack 2. The ignited pyrotechnic train ignites a smoke grenade through ilash tube 10.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A conventional fuze 1, attached to chute pack 2, may be actuated by fuze handle 3. An adaptor 4 and slide member 5 are telescopically connected to housing member 6 by heat-destructible shear pin 7. A pre-compressed spring 8 biases slide 5 and housing 6 apart.

Pyrotechnic assembly 9 is located in housing 6 and flash tube 10. The flash tube leads to a smoke grenade or the like, not shown. A rstdire mix 11 (which may comprise well-known burnable materials) is adjacent to heatdestructible pin 7 and pyrotechnic assembly 9. Parachute 12 is packed in chute pack 2.

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OPERATION Fuze 1 is activated in a conventional manner, such as by pulling the safety pin and releasing fuze handle 3. Fuze 1 ignites first-tire mix 11 which destroys shear pin 7 and ignites pyrotechnic assembly 9. Destruction of pin 7 allows pre-compressed spring 8 to urge slide S and housing 6 apart, thereby forcing parachute pack 2 to open and release parachute 12, which then deploys and blossoms. Meanwhile, first-lire rniX 11 has ignited pyrotechnic assembly 9 which, through flash tube 10, ignites a smoke grenade or the like, not shown.

We claim:

1. A parachute release-pyrotechnic igniting device comprising a fuze, a housing member, a slide member adjacent to said housing member, means biasing said members apart, heat-destructible means securing said members together, pyrotechnic means adjacent to said heat-destructible means, first-lire means to render said heat-destructible means inoperative and to ignite said pyrotechnic means whereby said biasing means forces said housing and slide members apart and said pyrotechnic means begins to burn, a flash tube connected to said housing, said pyrotechnic means being located in said housing and flash tube, a parachute pack surrounding said housing member and operatively connected to said housing and biasing members such that burning of said heat-destructible means and release of said biasing means opens said parachute pack, and a. fuze handle attached to said fuze and extending along said parachute pack for initiating operation of said fuze.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a preloaded coil compression spring coiled around said housing and slide members and acting to urge said members apart upon application of heat to said heatdestructible means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,937 3/1919 Epps 169-37 1,312,499 8/1919 Holt 102--35.6 1,621,421 3/1927 KunZer 102-35.6 1,943,292 1/1934 Babbitt IGZ-35.4 1,978,641 10/1934 Martin 102-35-4 3,319,520 5/1967 Stefano etal 89-l.01

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Prima/3v Examiner.

JAMES FOX, Assistant Examiner. 

